1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swivel hook used for rucksacks, knapsacks, baggages, belts etc., and particularly to a swivel hook comprised of a hook body, a connecting ring pivotally mounted on one end of the hook body and a latch member mounted on the hook body and normally biased by a spring to engage the tip of the hook body for retaining another separate ring or something.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One typical swivel hook of the conventional type is disclosed as in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 46-28823. The conventional swivel hook is comprised of a hook body and a connecting ring pivotally mounted on the hook body. The hook body and the connecting ring are made separately and later put together. The hook body is made of a metal plate and has a hook formed on the lower end and a small hook arrangement formed on the upper end. The upper hook arrangement is bifurcated to provide an elongated notch. A resilient plate is clamped to the end of the upper hook and is normally biased by its own resiliency to tend to close the hook. The connecting ring has a connecting axle provided centrally on one side thereof. The connecting axle has an enlarged spherical end formed on its lower end. The connecting axle is loosely fitted in the notch so that the connecting ring is able to rotate, mounted on the bifurcated upper hook arrangement of the hook body.
Another conventional type of swivel hook is disclosed as in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication Nos. 2-80212 and 4-93508. Likewise, this conventional swivel hook comprises a hook body and a connecting ring pivotally mounted on the hook body. Instead of having a connecting axle, the connecting ring has a through hole centrally positioned on one side thereof. The hook body has a connecting axle integrally formed on the upper end thereof, and the connecting axle which, in turn, has an enlarged head on its upper end. The through hole is slightly greater in diameter than the enlarged head of the connecting axle, so that the latter can be fitted through the former. After the enlarged head of the connecting axle is fitted through the through hole of the connecting ring, that part of the connecting ring which surrounds the through hole is squeezed, thereby retaining the enlarged head of the connecting axle in the through hole, so that the hook body can be pivotally mounted on the connecting ring around the connecting axle.
These conventional swivel hooks have drawbacks.
In the case of the first conventional swivel hook, to provide the hook body, it is necessary to fold a marginal part of the resilient latch member onto the end of the bifurcated upper hook arrangement, which requires more steps for making the swivel hook. Furthermore, the engaging force between the enlarged head of the connecting axle and the bifurcated upper hook arrangement of the hook body is weak since the hook body is made of a thin metal plate. Furthermore, since the connecting axle is fitted in the elongated notch, the connecting ring is inclined to rattle along the elongated notch. Still furthermore, the enlarged head is partly exposed through the notch, thus making the appearance of the swivel hook, as a whole less attractive.
In the case of the second conventional swivel hook, the connecting ring must be squeezed around the through hole in order to connect the hook body to the connecting ring. This increases production steps of the swivel hook. Since the squeezing operation is effected after the hook body and the connecting ring are painted or plated, the operation is prone to destroy the painted or plated surface of the connecting ring. Furthermore, in the case of the swivel hook disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No.. 2-80212, the enlarged head of the connecting axle projects into a belt-inserting hole defined by the connecting ring. This enlarged head is inclined to interfere with the belt-inserting operation. In the case of the swivel hook disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 4-93508, that one side of the connecting ring into which the enlarged head is inserted must be formed thicker, which makes the swivel hook as a whole less attractive in appearance.